


Bad Luck

by Flung_through_galaxies



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Jason Todd - Fandom, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: F/M, Reader Insert, Sexual Harassment, jason todd x reader - Freeform, reader has awful luck with creeps, red hood x reader, some language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 21:02:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9677063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flung_through_galaxies/pseuds/Flung_through_galaxies
Summary: Most Gothamites have stories of unpleasant encounters with crime, some even have stories of being rescued by the daring vigilantes that patrol the streets. You find yourself caught up in one of these encounters on your way home from your new book shop. After Red Hood steps in and defends you from one of Penguin's goons, he finds himself wishing he had met you under different circumstances. When he happens into your bookstore one day, he's amazed at his own luck. Your luck, on the other hand, is not so great. The words of a pushy customer have you feeling rather uncomfortable until Jason steps in, this time unmasked, to help you out.





	

After a long day of working at your new bookstore on the corner, you were relieved to go home, despite the lengthy walk. You were in the process of moving into the apartment above your shop, but you currently lived about four blocks away. Four blocks is quite a distance in a city as dangerous Gotham, especially when you’re walking alone after dark.

You’ve had your fair share of unpleasant encounters in this city. Mostly just petty muggers, who came up empty handed with some pretty nasty bruises and pepper-sprayed eyes. You’ve never had a brush with organized crime goons, until tonight.

One of Penguin’s henchman had been scouting out a bar that was known as a meeting place for Two Face and his men. He had taken his scouting mission a bit too far, drinking excessively with Two Face’s guys and stumbling out of the bar right after you walked by the door on your way home.

“Hey there honey, wait up!” He slurred at you, hurrying to catch up with you and tripping over his own feet a bit. You immediately pick up your pace, hoping the crosswalk signal several feet away would change before you reached it. Getting hit by a car would make this night exceptionally bad, but it might be worth it to get away from this creep. “Why you in such a hurry, sweetie? I just gotta question for ya!” He shouts.

Thankfully, the blessed walking stick figure lit up, signalling that you were safe to rush across the street. A quick glance behind you confirmed that the thug was still trailing after you, gaining ground as he grew more agitated by your reluctance to speak to him. You weren’t sure what he wanted, but you didn’t want to stick around long enough to find out.

Your apartment was another two blocks away and you were growing increasingly anxious that the man following you might have a gun he could pull on you if he gets any angrier. A decent sized group of people who seem to be out enjoying the nightlife in Gotham walk towards you, passing a dark alley to the right of the sidewalk. You see your chance to make a getaway and duck into the group, some of them exclaiming loudly as you bump into them. Weaseling out of the partiers and into the alley, you can only hope that there isn’t a fence trapping you in at the end of the dark passage.

It didn’t take your follower long to figure out where you had gone. He turned the corner a few seconds after you had and continued his pursuit. You were approaching the end of the alley now and a rusted chain link fence came into view. You curse under your breath, hoping the rusted metal won’t scrape you up too bad if you try to climb it.

You were about to make your move to climb the fence when you hear the menacing click of a gun’s hammer being pulled back. Hands already clutching the rusted steel, you freeze, turning your head very slowly to the side until the man came into view.

He was aiming a revolver at you, wicked grin on his face. “I’m buddies with the Penguin, sweetheart. You don’t want to mess with me.” He growls, stepping closer. “Now, you’re gonna help me spy on some of Two Face’s little brats.”

You release the fence and turn the rest of your body very slowly, hands raised to show that you weren’t making a move to attack.

“Why do you need me to spy on them?” You ask, hoping faux curiosity would mask the panic in your voice.

“They might have figured out who I am, and the boss won’t be too happy if I don’t bring back the information he wants.” His menacing smirk grew wider. “So you’re gonna get that information for me.”

A plan of action was quickly forming in your mind. You couldn’t go along with what this guy was offering, he’d surely kill you once he had his information, no loose ends and all that. You decided it was best to fight. Yes, he had a gun, but he was also intoxicated and you had taken a few self-defense classes.

Before you could even tense your muscles to spring on the unsuspecting goon, a man dropped down from the roof of one of the buildings bordering the alley. You gasped in surprise. His back was to you, but the dim light from a streetlamp on the opposite side of the fence glinted on the red helmet covering his head. You immediately recognized him as Red Hood, the vigilante who battled crime across the city.

“Be careful buddy, or I might just tell your boss that you’re trying to get innocents to do your dirty work.” The masked man threatened.

Penguin’s goon looked panicked, moving to aim his gun at the other man.

Red Hood tilted his head to the side in annoyed disbelief. “Really, buddy? You ought to know better than to threaten me.”

Before you could even blink, Red Hood had kicked the gun out of the man’s hand and knocked him out with a precise punch to the temple.

Turning to you, Red Hood relaxed a bit. “Are you okay, ma’am?” He asked.

You can’t seem to form a coherent thought for a few seconds. Staring into the white eyes of his helmet, you finally stutter out a reply.

“I uh, yeah. I’m fine. Thank you for that. I was just walking home and he started following me. I thought I was going to have to kick his ass, but you did it for me, so thanks.” You realize that you’re rambling a bit, but Red Hood doesn’t seem to mind. He actually chuckles at your response.

“I’ll let you kick the bad guy’s ass next time.” He suggests, shoulders bouncing with his light laughter.

“Hopefully there won’t be a next time.” You say, pausing before speaking again. “Not that I minded meeting one of Gotham’s badass vigilantes, I just don’t enjoy being pursued by ruffians on my walk home from work.” A smirk finds it’s way to your lips. It’s easy for you to speak jokingly around this man, even though you can’t see his face.

You couldn’t tell for sure, but you thought he might have been smiling under that helmet of his. “How far do you live from here?”

“That’s information I usually save for the third date, my friend.” You joked, smirk growing into a full-blown smile.

Red Hood laughs sincerely before replying. “I just thought I’d walk you home. Make sure there aren’t anymore baddies hanging around waiting to bother you.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I think I can make it another two blocks without any major predicament.” 

He just nods at you before lifting a grapple gun above his head, shooting the hook towards a rooftop, and disappearing into the night.

The rest of your walk home, you can’t help but wonder about the man under the mask.

———

God, he wished he hadn’t met you while he was in uniform. There was no way he could just trot right up to you and introduce himself as Jason Todd, recently un-deceased son of Bruce Wayne, and also that guy in the red mask that you met last week. He didn’t want to have to lie to you, but he also really wanted to see you again. This time, without the mask and the mystery.

It was by pure chance that you happened to work at the bookshop down the street from Jason’s apartment. He was in need of a good read to entertain him during the day, before patrol, and he had decided to stop in at your shop.

You didn’t recognize him without his helmet, of course, but he recognized you the moment he stepped into the store. He didn’t think he’d see you again, Gotham is a huge city after all. To think you were right down the street the whole time. Your sense of humor despite shitty circumstances matched his own, and he had a hard time finding someone he could match wits with, so he decided he’d try to make conversation when he got the chance.

You were standing behind the front desk, talking to a customer. Talking might be the wrong word, from what Jason could see, it looked like you were arguing with the man. Cautiously moving closer and pretending to browse through a stand of bookmarks, Jason listened in.

“Honestly sir, I’m not interested.” You said, voice trembling a bit as if you were uncomfortable.

“C’mon sweetie, I’ve come in here almost every day since this place opened up ta see ya. I’ve bought a couple of books, surely I deserve a date at this point.” The man says as he leans over the desk.

You step back and bump against the wall behind you, obviously repulsed by the creep before you. “I appreciate your business, but I don’t date customers.” You say, starting to feel genuinely scared that this man might do something unsavory if you didn’t agree to his request.

There’s a glimmer of danger in his eyes as he speaks again. “I’ll get you one way or another, hun. You can count on that.” He speaks lowly, trying to intimidate you into agreeing. “It’d make things a lot easier for the both of us if you’d play along.”

Your pulse is hammering at this point as fear courses through you. You’ve encountered creeps before, but never one as persistent as this guy.

“I really don’t want to have to get the police involved in this matter, but you’re leaving me with no other choice.” You say as you reach for you phone next to the cash register. The man lunges forward and grabs your wrist before you can pick up your phone. “No way I’m letting you call the cops. This is between you and me.”

Jason can’t take it anymore, he leaves the bookmark display and strides to the desk. Gripping the man’s shoulder aggressively, he leans forward to speak to him in a low, warning tone. “Hands off, buddy. She said no.”

The creep immediately releases your wrist. He can tell he’s outmatched. “This your boyfriend or somethin’?” He asks as he looks Jason up and down, sizing him up if it comes to a fight. You open your mouth to respond, but Jason beats you to it. “Fiancé, actually.”

Your mouth hangs open at his response. You had no clue who he was, but you assumed this was just part of his plan to get this creep to leave you alone.

The other man seems to back down at Jason’s revelation. “Look pal, I’m sorry if I caused you and your girl here trouble. Just some harmless flirtin’.” He tries to walk away, but Jason still has a grip on his shoulder. “If I ever hear about you bothering her ever again, we’re going to have a big problem.” He warns before releasing the man with a shove in the direction of the door.

The creep hurries to leave the shop, bumping into another customer in his rush. Jason watches him leave, just to make sure he doesn’t lurk around your store any longer. You look at him with a mixture of confusion and appreciation in your eyes. When Jason turns back to you, he looks a little nervous.

“So, fiancé, thanks for that.” You say through an appreciative smile.

“I’m really sorry about the fiancé thing. Guys like that don’t usually back down until they think a girl ‘belongs’ to someone else.” Jason says, using air quotes where they are needed.

“Quick thinking on your part. Do you often rescue people from creeps?” You joke, not knowing that rescuing people from creeps is quite literally Jason’s job description. “As often as I can.” He says honestly with a chuckle. “Well, you’re good at it. Maybe you should call up Batman. See if you can join his little posse,” you joke. Jason worries for a moment that you might somehow recognize him as Red Hood, but quickly dismisses the thought. He simply laughs and nods in response, dropping his gaze to where his hands were resting on the desk.

“I’m assuming you came in here for a reason other than scaring that guy away for me. Is there anything I can help you with, now that you’ve helped me?” You ask him, raising an eyebrow.

“I was just going to browse through your poetry selection. Any suggestions?” He asks.

“Have you read any of Tyler Knott Gregson’s work?” You ask.

“I’ve heard of him, but haven’t been able to find any stores around here that carry his books.” Jason replies, interest piqued.

You lean across the counter and drop your voice to a whisper. “What if I told you I had a copy of Chasers of the Light?”

His eyes light up at your words. “Really? Where can I find it in here?” He asks, eyes sweeping across the shop before landing back on you, book in your hand and smile on your face.

“It’s my personal copy, but I’ll let you borrow it for free if you promise to bring it back and tell me what you thought of it.”

Jason’s lips spread into a grin as he nods and holds his hand out for the book. “Promise.” He states.

You place the book in his open palm, but don’t release your hold on it yet. “One more condition.” You add. “Tell me your name.”

His grin grows into a broad smile that makes your feel a little weak in the knees. “Jason.” He replies. “What’s yours?”

You flip the front cover of the book open and point to your name, scribbled in felt tip pen.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you.” Jason says through his smile, gaze leaving the page to meet yours. “I’ll be sure to stop by again, soon as I can.”

**Author's Note:**

> As of right now, this is just a one-shot. I've received a few requests through Tumblr to extend it into a series, so there may be a continuation if the inspiration strikes me!


End file.
